


The Tree of Passage

by paperdollkisses



Category: NSYNC
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-30
Updated: 2014-01-30
Packaged: 2018-01-10 12:59:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1160007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperdollkisses/pseuds/paperdollkisses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written 11/01/2006</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Tree of Passage

**Author's Note:**

> Written 11/01/2006

Chris tracked his flashlight to the left and right of him, the weak light barely letting him see how far the wall of vines and branches went in either direction. He’d expected the dark and the quiet the further he’d traveled into forest, but it was unnerving just the same. He approached the thicket carefully, again casting his flashlight in short sweeps, looking for a breach in the natural barrier. When he’d found a place to look through what, he saw made goose-bumps raise on his skin. The tree was a huge mass of gnarled branches and thick dark trunks, its roots strong and thick where they came out of the earth. Chris caught his breath in awe. It may have been a legend to some, but after five long years of research and charting and searching he’d found it, the Tree of Passage.

He felt the tingle of excitement deep in the pit of his stomach and made quick work of pulling items out of his backpack and placing them on the deep layer of leaves that covered the ground. Chris didn’t need to look at the words written in the old leather-covered book or the worn notebook beside it to know what to do next. He walked along the natural wall looking for breaks in the foliage, testing the branches here and there, finding them even more tightly wound than he’d imagined. Chris had gotten even more excited after his second walk around it when he’d noticed the area was an almost perfect circle. He was certain he had the right tree this year, and all of his hard work was about to pay off.

For his third trip around the tree he’d taken an old compass out of his backpack. The compass needle spun lazily around inside its case, not stopping to point north as it should. Once more Chris followed his steps, this time watching the compass needle do its dance until it suddenly stopped. His mouth curved into a small smile of satisfaction, not even needing to consult the book for the meaning of this sign. Just to check he walked a few steps each way from that spot, each time the needle stopped spinning when he reached the area again.

Chris placed the compass in his pocket and the book into the back of his jeans before he pulled a knife from its sheath on his belt. He selected a branch as thick as his thumb and as long as his arm, the blade sliding easily through the raw green wood. He made his way back to his start point, with the compass once again open, watching for any other stilling of the needle.

Stowing all his items back in the pack, he started to make a three foot by three feet clearing where he was standing. The dirt was soft and dark underneath the layer of leaves and he picked up the flashlight and branch and began to draw the symbols he’d memorized from the book in the earth. It wasn’t a mathematical incantation as most people thought, but symbols from an age-old language that most people disregarded. It had taken a full year of research to even figure that little bit out, but he didn’t regret a second. Half an hour passed before he was done with the transcription, his aching eyes searching for even the smallest of errors. This was too important to be messed up with something as preventable as a spelling error.

Chris stood up straight, his back tightening in protest, and he took a minute to stretch out his muscles before the next step. The purification necessary before incantation was always tricky, especially in the middle of the woods but Chris had simplified it to the basics. Washing his hands and face with cleaning cloths helped to keep the uncovered parts of his body clean and simply changing unto the white button down shirt he carried with him did the rest. Then he sat down to wait.

Many legends had the midnight hour as the most powerful, and by combining that with the one day that most feel the spirit world can connect with the living and hopefully you’ll get a 24-hour pass into the netherworld before you get kicked out on your butt, or so Chris’ notes read. He hadn’t had to do as much research to determine that fact as he’d thought. He checked his watch again as he ran his mind over the incantation and its desired effect. Chris wondered, not for the first time, whether sending up a little prayer for success to a Christian God would counteract what most people would consider the occult. He had to chuckle a moment later when he realized he was wishing that the prayer didn’t count against the ritual.

Almost an hour had passed before he stood and stretched again. He pulled a small white cotton bag out of the zipper pocket and poured the mixture of cinnamon and lavender into his hand before picking up the leather bound book. Chris took a deep breath and stood at the eastern side of the scripted earth and started to read the passages from the book. At the end of each section he sprinkled a little of the powder onto the earth and moved to the opposite side before reading again. He had practiced this ritual enough he could have done it without the book, but he didn’t want to falter. The timing had to be perfect.

As the last of the words were uttered to the darkness, Chris sprinkled the mixture one final time. His eyes lifting to look at the vines he now faced. His throat was dry from speaking the harsh words and anticipation of what was to come. It had to work this time. It just had to.

The rustle of leaves ended the silence and Chris found himself shivering uncontrollably as if he’d been doused in ice water for an extended period of time. He went suddenly blind as a bright light lit the area around him and he lost his breath as he was pulled sharply forward falling hard on his knees. Then just as suddenly he was fine.

Chris opened his eyes and saw green, the loose dirt below him changed into a soft fragrant grass. Then, he had to catch his breath as he raised his head and took in the scene around him. He was unnoticed in the chaos it seemed and what chaos it was. The deep darkness had faded away but it was neither day nor night it seemed. There was a faint glowing light that seemed to surround everyone and everything he saw. His mouth opened in surprise at the fires that floated off the ground. Chris wished for the camera that had been stowed in his bag, though if his theories were correct he wouldn’t have been able to develop pictures anyway.

It didn’t matter though, he was ecstatic. The Tree of Passage had opened for him and pulled him into this world. He would commit it all to memory, from the huge tree to the . . . Was that a faerie, or a pixie, or maybe a wood nymph? He smiled. He had 24 hours to figure it out.

“So, you finally made it through.”

Chris jumped at the sound of the voice and turned slowly, his heart beating hard and fast in his chest. His mouth opened when he saw the speaker, but no words came out. There was a man standing in front of him, not some mystical being that he’d read about. Well, that wasn’t completely true. The guy was wearing loose white clothes and seemed to have a shimmer around him from his long curling brown hair to his bare feet.

JC smiled at him. “We’ve had a bet going you see.” He looked over at another man in all white, “I was always on your side.”

“I . . . I.” Chris still wasn’t able to form words. He looked from one man to another feeling a sense of deja vu.

“I am JC.” He held out his hand “One of the guardians of this place.”

Chris took the offered hand, feeling warmth spread through him at the touch. “Chris.”

“Yes, I know. Kirkpatrick. Strong Irish background. Proficient in the study of strange phenomena and mystical creatures. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He smiled again and removed his hand from Chris’ grasp. “Welcome to Restinia.”

“Restinia?” Chris repeated. “Is it like a city in this world?”

“Ah, I believe it would be comparable to a city from your world.” JC wrinkled his forehead as he thought about it. “Yes, most definitely a city. You see. I am versed in your word as well Chris.”

That started the flood of questions in Chris’ brain. “You said you had a bet on . . . about me getting through the tree?”

JC smiled again “Yes, indeed. Come, let us sit by the fire.” He led the way toward one, nodding to the curious creatures they passed.

Chris looked around avidly. Noticing the way they whispered to each other as they watched him, sounding a lot like . . . well, he couldn’t describe the sound, even as it bothered the edge of his memory. He sat on the ground across from JC, large gourds filled with fluid appearing on the tree trunk table that also appeared between them.

“This is how you like to converse, right?” JC looked pleased with himself as Chris nodded. “Perhaps some food as well.” He nodded to the air beside him and a tree bark materialized in the middle of the table, something resembling Oreos stacked on it. JC took one with apparent glee. “I just love these. I make Joey bring them when he visits.”

Chris took one, watching as JC licked the white center. “Visits?”

“Oh yes, you have questions.” He chewed on the chocolate cookie for a moment while thinking again. “You wanted to know about the bet.” He grinned “Lance and I have been watching you since your first attempt. You had the right location, you see, just completely wrong on the ritual. It was quite disappointing. We love visitors. Of course we do have to screen those that are allowed in. Otherwise, we’d be exposed to the world and we don’t want that.”

“The Tree of Passage is just the giant doorway. We, I mean Lance and me, are the guardians and we are the ones who decide who gets to come in. Sadly, over the years there have not been many that are worthy. But your persistence has won us over. Well, won me over. Lance is just upset that you got the right incantation this year. I will say that I may have helped out a bit in that category.” He blushed.

Chris remembered now “It was you in my dreams!” he exclaimed.

JC looked around nervously. “Shh, not so loud. We’re not supposed to help.”

“Well why did you?”

“I just thought that your research needed to be rewarded. Now, you’ll have a whole year to stay around and ask questions and get to know us.” He beamed.

Chris was confused “But my . . . I thought I could only visit for a day . . . 24 hours.”

JC’s eyes crinkled at the corner “Yes, yes . . . a day in your world is a year here! So, you’ve got all the time you need.” He looked over Chris’ head. “Oh Lance, I want you to meet Chris. Chris, this is Lance . . . the other guardian of Restinia.”

Chris turned around and took the book bag from Lance’s outstretched hand. “Hi, Thank you . . . how did you?”

“You shouldn’t leave incriminating evidence outside when you’re entering sacred areas. You could expose us all.” Lance frowned at Chris, his green eyes having that same glow that JC’s had.

“Lance, don’t be rude to our guest. We haven’t been sacred since the 700's.” JC snorted with laughter.

Lance twisted his mouth to prevent whatever his thoughts on that were from coming out. “It’s good to meet you. You’ve done well over the years figuring things out. Even if JC did help you this year.” He pinned JC with a knowing look.

JC blushed. “How did . . . ” stopping when he received another stare.

“It’s ok though. I did the same with Joey. We just enjoy having humans around.” He sat down at the tree stump with them.

The look of astonishment on JC’s face was comical. “You broke the rules? But you never break the rules.”

Lance smiled then, “Really?”

Chris looked back and forth between them, the amusement on Lance’s face and JC’s face contorted in between disbelief and laughter.

“Even after all these years JC misses things about me.” Lance looked at JC indulgently. “So, are you impressed with our little world Chris?” he turned his attention to Chris.

“Well, um . . . I haven’t gotten to see too much of it. But it’s pretty amazing that it’s actually here. I mean, I knew something like this was here. But I had no idea what to expect. It seems magic does exist.” He looked pointedly at Lance and the gourd that appeared in his hand.

“Magic is all around us, in your world and ours. It’s in the very air we breathe and the way our body works. It’s just more active in our world.” JC explained. He nodded and looked at the table where a plate of sandwiches appeared. “It’s really quite convenient. That’s not my magic. It’s pixie magic. Thank you very much.”

Chris saw a small gnat-like creature fly in front of JC’s face. So not what he had expected.

“I suppose you were thinking Tinkerbell?” Lance mused, helping himself to a sandwich.

“No, not really. Or maybe a little. But I thought pixies and faeries were the same thing.”

JC shook his head. “No, that’s a common misconception. Pixies are a lot smaller than faeries, but they’re more powerful. They’re very tricky little things. Great for April Fool’s Day.”

“And the sprites and wood nymphs?” he asked.

“Same things as Faeries and Pixies except not as magical, sprites are mainly water oriented, Nymph’s are woodland.”

Chris reached for his backpack to pull out his notebook. This was going to be an awesome year . . . um day . . . whatever. He looked at Lance and JC. “Tell me more.”


End file.
